




011 523 289 7 



Hollinger Corp. 
pH 8.5 



UC 343 
.A5 
1915 
Copy 1 



10T0R TRANSPORT IN CAMPAIGN 



PREPARED BY THE WAR COLLEGE DIVISION, GENERAL STAFF CORPS 

AS A SUPPLEMENT TO THE STATEMENT OF A PROPER MILITARY 

POLICY FOR THE UNITED STATES 



WCD 931S-1 



ARMY WAR COLLEGE : WASHINGTON 

NOVEMBER, 1915 




519 



WASHINGTON 

GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE 

1916 






War Department, 

Document No. 519. 

Office of the Chief of Staff. 



D. of D. 
MAY 8 1916 






SYNOPSIS. 



I. Introduction. 

Page. 

1. General conditions of employment 5 

2. Various types employed 6 

3. Motor trucks — uses, capacity, personnel 6 

4. Automobile parks 9 

5. The armored car 11 

6. The motorcycle 11 

7. Use in countries having few roads 12 

8. Ambulances 12 

9. Fuel 13 

10. Defects in construction brought out under the strain of active service con- 

ditions 14 

Wheels 14 

Lighting system 14 

Bridges 14 

Transport of heavy ordnance 15 

11. Results of the war 15 

12. Conclusions 15 

13. Organization 16 

14. Collection of this transport 16 

519 (3) 



MOTOR TRANSPORT IN CAMPAIGN . 



I. INTRODUCTION. 

The past 15 months of war have resulted in verifying in every 
respect the predictions of military writers of late years. All pointed 
out that nature and science would be called upon to serve mankind 
in many practical ways, and that achievements then (at the time of 
writing) in their infancy would, under the stress of war, develop 
into aids which would be found to be of far-reaching importance. 

Such of these predictions as relate to the use and application of 
motor transport have been found to be correct, and this is shown pri- 
marily through its improvement and development, but lastly by the 
fact that it has become absolutely essential to the efficient prosecu- 
tion of a campaign. 

1. GENERAL CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT. 

Modern weapons of offense and defense, such as large-caliber 
mobile artillery, the machine gun, and the aeroplane, have exercised a 
marked and direct influence on combat in general. Strategy has been 
affected by the altered conditions affecting the battle, and even the 
conduct of an action has been influenced. Along with the use of 
motor transport, which altered the aspect of warfare, both in coun- 
tries with good highways and in those which lack them, comes a 
speeding up of the rate at which military operations can be conducted. 
The strategic mobility of troops has been increased, and this fact 
will bring about greater ease in the grouping of forces for the 
battle. 

Indirectly they promote " the independence of the troops of their 
lines of communication, by facilitating the bringing up of supplies 
and by creating possibilities for concentration and movements which 
did not formerly exist. Commanders acquire thereby greater free- 
dom of action." 

It must not be assumed, however, that the methods of warfare 
have been revolutionized through the use of motor transport. When 
the war is over and the newspapers have ceased to announce in big 
headlines the wonderful achievements of this type of transport, we 
shall undoubtedly find there are many limitations to be placed on its 
use. However, there is no doubt that it has aided in a remarkable 
way the supply and transport of troops. 

519 

(5) 



What may have been found feasible on the western front might 
not have been found possible in the plains of Galicia and Poland. 
Difficulties connected with the repair and supply of fuel have limited 
the use of this transport in a number of cases, but no definite rule can 
as yet be deduced from the special cases which are set forth in the 
press and in the popular magazines. 

2. VARIOUS TYPES EMPLOYED. 

The history of the present war indicates conclusively that all at- 
tempts to employ a special type of car or truck for service have 
ceased. The type of truck or car ordinarily in use in the particular 
theater of operations before hostilities offers the most adaptable and 
suitable transport for war in that theater. 

In France no attempt has been made to use any particular type 
of either automobiles or motor trucks, but the Government has taken 
what it could get from the principal manufacturers. As far as 
possible, endeavor is made to have all the motor trucks of each army 
the same make. 

Various American trucks have been found excellent in. every way, 
and a light chassis for ambulances is rendering the best service. 
These can go where heavier vehicles in many cases could not pass, 
and where they would only encumber the road. 

It seems to be generally conceded abroad that the trains corre- 
sponding to our field and combat trains should be horse drawn, while 
the division, corps, and army trains are best constituted of motor 
transport. There are to be found some exceptions to this rule, but, 
generally speaking, the official reports are a unit in this respect. 

3. MOTOR TRUCKS— USES, CAPACITY, PERSONNEL. 

The corps trains, for instance, in the French organization corre- 
spond to our divisional trains (supply, ammunition, sanitary, and en- 
gineers' trains), have in part been replaced by motor vehicles. The 
supply train still remains animal drawn, with the exception of that 
part of it engaged in taking forward beef from the slaughtering 
points to the regimental train (their meat wagons). The ammuni- 
tion train remains equipped with animal-drawn caissons. As pre- 
viously explained, these caissons must often pass off of the metaled 
roads and travel through fields so as to supply combatant units. 
Ammunition is pushed up much closer to troops by auto trucks than 
was the case in previous wars. The etape or link therefore to be 
covered by the caisson is not as great as it used to be. However, 
the expenditure of artillery ammunition is much greater than was 
ever contemplated, and the saving of the road space in the length 
of the etape or link has been more than compensated for in the 

519 



additional number of trips these vehicles must make. The very large 
caliber guns are not assigned to the corps, but are part of the army 
artillery. The size and weight of the ammunition of some of these 
guns make it practically necessary to replace their ammunition by 
motor trucks. These guns themselves are so heavy as to make it 
necessary to carefully pick out the ground over which they are taken 
into position. They are not mobile in the sense of the guns with the 
corps and some of the lighter type of heavy guns with the army. 
Their position is also such as to make their resupply in ammunition 
much simpler than the smaller guns. 

The sanitary trains have been greatly supplemented by the at- 
taching of automobile ambulances directly to these trains, in addi- 
tion to the animal-drawn units. Although not known definitely, it 
is believed that some of the animal-drawn elements of this train have 
been suppressed. The more rapid evacuation of the wounded by 
automobiles and the distance the automobile can cover has cut down 
considerably the number of "ambulance immobilize" (field hospi- 
tals) with the corps. 

It has been ascertained that to-day the number of automobiles of 
different classes with the different armies varied somewhere between 
2,500 and 4,000 with each army. Aside from the touring cars 
assigned permanently to different headquarters and the auto trucks 
and ambulances assigned to the corps and those assigned to special 
service, such as the aviation service, etc., the balance are attached 
to the army. They form what might be called the automobile con- 
voy of the army, and they are either temporarily assigned for cer- 
tain specific work to corps and divisions or are used in pushing 
supplies and material forward to troops from railheads. The forma- 
tions of the different " parks " attached directly to the army corre- 
spond generally to the formation laid down in our Field Service 
Regulations for Columns. It is believed that after the war is over 
and as the auto truck develops in efficiency that the effort will be 
made to reduce the size of trains with the divisions and corps, and 
by means of what we call " columns " to push supply and evacuating 
points closer up to the troops. The English have perhaps gone 
further in this particular to-day than the French, but it is thought 
that, with a well-trained personnel and efficient direction, the re- 
sults that would obtain under this system would be better than 
the old. 

Any intelligent person can foresee that at some future time animal- 
drawn vehicles with an army will disappear. However, to-day, 
when roads are not good and when from one reason or another 
certain vehicles supplying troops must pass off these roads into the 
field, the animal-drawn vehicle still has its advantage and must of 
necessity be retained. 

519 



8 

In France the roads are excellent and are well kept up. In the 
Vosges a number of new roads are being constructed. These latter 
roads are all permanent and beautifully installed. 

Notwithstanding these fine roads in France, the combat and field 
train of combatant units in their entirety, as well as a large portion 
of their corps train (our division trains), remain animal-drawn. 

There seems to be no doubt that when we consider the road condi- 
tions in our possible theater of operations we will not be able to 
change to the motor truck until a much later date than the European 
army. This will undoubtedly be the case, unless a great advance is 
made in automobile construction. While the authorities always have 
been great believers in auto trucks and are satisfied that in time of 
war we will have need for them in the thousands, it is believed that 
the development of an efficient auto truck for combat and field train 
purposes goes hand in hand with the development of an efficient 
farming auto truck. When an auto truck has been developed that 
will bring in the average farmer's crop from his fields we will have 
an efficient auto truck for combat and field train purposes. 

One of a great number of uses of auto trucks to-day is to move 
troops promptly into a threatened sector of the line of trenches. In 
one operation each division had temporarily under its orders 50 auto 
trucks for moving troops. These trucks were kept with the reserves. 
Each truck could carry 20 equipped infantrymen. By the use of 
these trucks and within a very few minutes 1,000 men could be loaded 
and moved to the threatened point. With this load and moving at 
the rate of about 12 kilometers an hour, it would not take long to 
commence throwing in reserves. These were only a few of the auto 
trucks that the army had. If the situation became more serious, then 
additional trucks could also be used for the same purpose. 

There is no question but that in other theaters of war, when a war 
of maneuver has been carried on, these trucks have been used to carry 
troops on raids accompanying cavalry. The supply trains with cav- 
alry have also been made up of the transport. 

The animal-drawn army trains or grand parks, except certain 
vehicles of the artillery and engineers, have been entirely done away 
with and their work done by the army automobile convoy. 

On the line of communication and in the zone of the interior prac- 
tically all the transportation in general use is motor-drawn. 

The escort wagon has somewhat the same drawbacks as an auto 
truck when it comes to moving off the roads and in the fields. Dur- 
ing this war certain troops could not have held positions had they 
not a vehicle of resupply that was capable of getting off a road cov- 
ered by hostile artillery fire and passing through fields under cover 
to near the troops. It is believed that we should give some serious 

519 



9 

study to the working out practically of this question of a suitable 
type of combat train wagon. 

The heavy auto-truck companies are often supplied with trailers, 
the trailer having the same carrying capacity as the truck. This type 
usually carries 3 tons, but for all-round service a 1^-ton truck has been 
found most acceptable. The use of trailers, however, must depend 
upon road conditions, and where good road conditions do not exist 
the strain on the truck is so great as to render the use of the trailers 
with the truck not advisable. 

The number of auto trucks is usually fixed by the number of 
vehicles required to transport either one day's rations for a corps 
(125 tons) or two " lots" of ammunition, infantry and artillery (160 
tons). The trucks are expected to make 12 miles an hour and to be 
able to travel about 100 miles a day. 

The personnel with an auto-truck company varies, but it is not far 
from the organization prescribed for our motor-truck companies. 
(See Tables of Organization.) 

The use of motor transport has reduced, by many men, the per- 
sonnel of the service of supply, thus releasing a greater number of 
men for the firing line. In the past, during some wars, the number 
of men required behind the lines was equal, if it did not exceed, the 
number of fighting men. 

4. AUTOMOBILE PARKS. 

The extended use of automobiles of every type in the present war 
has created some new problems, one of the most important being 
the maintenance of the various motor wagons in a condition for 
service. Although the reliability of motor cars has been enormously 
improved in recent years, they, more than most machines, are sub- 
ject to many ills and troubles. ■ 

Motor-car troubles may be conveniently grouped under three 
heads : Ordinary road troubles, such as can be repaired by chauffeurs 
or mechanicians with the simple tools and repair parts carried for 
this purpose ; second, more serious troubles, which call for shopwork ; 
third, very serious troubles, which call for factory work. 

In order to meet satisfactorily the second class of troubles, those 
calling for shopwork, recourse is had to the organization of so-called 
automobile parks, one for each field army. Like many other fea- 
tures of the present war, the automobile park is a new creation 
called for by the emergency of the situation. The number of auto- 
mobiles of all kinds assigned to the field armies varies according 
to the conditions, such as size and extent of front of the army, 
character of country as regards available roads and railroads, etc. 
The automobiles assigned to each army are numbered serially, and 
30G6^° No. 519—16 2 



10 

by observing the numbers noted at different times and places a fair 
idea of the number of machines belonging to a field army may be 
obtained. This number averages not less than 2,500 per field army, 
including both passenger and freight autos. It is evident that with 
so large a number of machines constantly doing hard service there 
will be need for some organized and controlled scheme for repairs. 
This is the task of the automobile park. 

In a populous region where position warfare has obtained for 
some time the problem is easy. Existing garages or machine shops 
in conveniently located towns afford all necessary requisites for an 
automobile park and permit of undertaking repairs on a large scale. 
On the other hand, where field warfare has been the rule and where 
large industrial towns and villages are lacking, the problem is more 
difficult, requiring, in the first place, that the repair park have a 
certain amount of mobility and also that it carry along its equip- 
ment and appliances. Under these conditions the repairs that can 
be undertaken in the field are more limited. 

Supposing a field army to be established in some garrison camp, 
its personnel would be housed in the barracks of the peace garrison. 
If no suitable buildings were available for shops and garages, suit- 
able light-frame structures are erected, arranging the buildings by 
centering the repair departments around the sides of a rectangle, 
with open sheds in the center for housing machines repaired and 
awaiting repairs. 

The various shops are a carpenter shop, painting and glazing- 
shop, machine shop equipped with power lathe, shaper, emery wheel, 
drill press, etc., a vulcanizing shop, a blacksmith shop, and an oxy- 
acetylene welding outfit. The latter is a most useful affair, enabling 
broken parts of steel, brass, and even aluminum to be welded to- 
gether. There is also a small printing shop for printing various 
blank forms used by chauffeurs in recording car performances. A 
large stock room containing spare parts of all usual makes of auto- 
mobiles forms part of the park and enables repairs to be made very 
quickly. 

About 200 cars are usually on hand at the park, some pretty bad 
cases among them, including several which had suffered from shell 
fire. With appliances available quite serious repairs can be under- 
taken without returning cars to factory. A supply of repaired 
cars in running order is maintained from which issues can be made 
in exchange for cars turned in for repairs. 

The personnel of the park consists of one captain, taken from the 
railway regiments; two lieutenants, one from the cavalry and one 
from the artillery; and about 400 men drawn from recruit depots, 
and most of them skilled workmen. 

519 



11 

5. THE ARMORED CAR. 

The weak point in the comparatively heavy armored car lies in its 
dependence on the condition of the road and its helplessness before 
ordinary obstacles, such as ruts and ditches. It has its uses, how- 
ever, under the conditions noted in the following remarks : 

In the German invasion of Belgium * * * motor vehicles apparently 
played an enormously important part in enabling the enemy to push forward 
more rapidly than he could have done had he had to depend entirely on his 
cavalry. The armored car early proved its value for this sort of patrol work. 
It exercised another influence on the cavalry arm, in that, by expediting the 
rate at which it was possible for the invader to push forward, it placed corre- 
spondingly a greater strain on the mobility of cavalry, and to that extent used 
up the horses of the enemy at an additional rate, as instance the extremely 
ill condition into which they got last autumn. 

Thus in this connection the advent of the motor vehicle to modern warfare 
made possible operations beyond the scope of cavalry unaided, and at the same 
time put a greater strain on that arm. It has also speeded up the movement 
of the main armies, because, unlike horses, motor vehicles do not tire during 
the spells in which it is possible for men to work them. 

6. MOTORCYCLES. 

These have generally proved unsatisfactory, and for messenger 
and orderly service they have been replaced by the light motor car. 
Light 4 or 5-horsepower, two-passenger cars, like the Bebe Peugeot 
and the Zebre, can go almost anywhere. 

In some newspaper reports and in letters from the front rumors 
of the use of a large number of motorcycles to move troops occur, 
but no verification of this has ever been received through official 
channels. 

Based on these reports an organization of a large number of motor- 
cyclists has been proposed, with a view to their use in place of cav- 
alry. Notwithstanding the comparative invisibility of the motorcycle 
and its individual adaptability to a varied terrain such a plan ap- 
pears unfeasible. In the first place the men would have to be trained 
as soldiers before they can become military cyclists, and, in the 
second place, no teamwork of the mass could be assured without some 
training of the whole as a body. 

Companies for duty at Army corps or division headquarters are 
feasible, but it is not believed that large bodies can operate with the 
same ease as cavalry. It is safe to assert that during operations in 
Courland a motorcycle corps of 60,000 could not have replaced that 
amount of cavalry or have done the work expected of them. 

519 



12 

7. USE IN COUNTRIES HAVING FEW ROADS. 

Perhaps the phase which has most vividly brought home*,the 
change wrought by the advent of the motor in the conduct of military 
operations has been its employment during the campaign against 
De Wet. 

The average mind can here appreciate the advance made by the 
present-day methods of warfare, as the scene was identical in nature 
with that of 15 years ago, when something in the neighborhood of a 
quarter of a million British soldiers were engaged in rounding 
up De Wet and his Boers. There is, however, this difference, that, 
while the numbers concerned were much smaller than in the cam- 
paign referred to above, the uprising led by De Wet was in the 
nature of a surprise, which made the mobilization of the necessary 
troops and the accumulation of supplies impossible in advance of the 
emergency. The hostile Boers in this instance had precisely the same 
mobility which enabled them to elude the British troops so easily 15 
years ago. 

The difference in the later campaign is shown by the fact that 
motors were employed instead of horses and horse-drawn transport. 

But these cars were not built for military use, being merely machines owned 
by members of the Johannesburg Automobile Club, many designed for use only 
on roads as we understand them in Europe. The work in hand, however, re- 
quired that the cars should be driven across country in all manner of direc- 
tions, over the veldt where there chanced to be neither road nor track, and 
across the beds of rivers. 

Moreover, the vehicles usually carried something more than the normal load. 
Scarcely two cars were of a kind or model. Thus, from the point of view of 
military service, it would have been impossible to select anything in the way 
of motor vehicles less suitable for the task. Of course, many of the cars 
broke down, as they are breaking down every day in the war area in Europe. 
But the thing that counted was that more cars got through than fell out of the 
running, while of those that failed it must be observed that up to the point 
at which it broke down each assisted to keep the enemy on the run. To that 
extent it did its work toward rounding him up. 

8. AMBULANCES. 

Motor traction has worked wonders in this war with the food and 
ammunition supply, yet in each one of these services the final stage 
is still made by horse-drawn vehicles. However, under the existing 
conditions of trench warfare the sanitary service has gone even 
further and have supplanted all slow-moving horse-drawn vehicles 
by light and efficient motor ambulances. 

The motor ambulance is the machine for which the ordinary pleasure car 
chassis, unaltered, has proved most suitable. The provision of these ambu- 
lances has undoubtedly contributed enormously to the saving of life and suffer- 
ing. But the best of them scarcely begins to realize the possibilities of a 
motor vehicle for this service in regions in which roads are either lacking or 

519 



13 

are torn up as a result of warfare. They are no longer using ambulances 
having the excessive overhang so common among those presented at the 
beginning of the war. But that is only a slight improvement, for even to-day 
the driver of the average motor ambulance sits in the best swung position. 
At least part of the patient's body as he lies flat — usually the feet and the 
lower part of the legs — projects behind the back axle. 

Nor should motor ambulances have too long wheel bases, because it is often 
necessary to turn them in brief compass. Obviously the driver should not be 
placed where he sits in an ordinary touring car or town carriage. If the motor 
must be accommodated in the same part of the chassis, then the ambulance 
driver and the attendant seated beside him should be placed above the engine, 
as they are in certain types of French and German motor buses. 

This arrangement would enable the best part of the chassis ordinarily occu- 
pied by the driver to be used by the patient, the whole of whose body could 
accordingly be brought well between the two axles. There is nothing to the 
speed at which these ambulances have to be driven that would render it unde- 
sirable to accommodate driver and attendant above the motor. Nor is this all, 
for the present system of springing is at best a mere combination of make- 
shifts, in that all springs are the result of building up laminations of steel 
plates. 

Each spring so built up can give the smoothest riding only at certain vibra- 
tions and certain loads, whereas the whole point of having a motor vehicle 
for any sort of service is that you can use it either with full load, with part 
load, or without any load ; also that you can drive it over any sort of surface 
at any speed of which it is capable, from the slowest to the fastest. No form 
of laminated steel spring can therefore be quite suitable for the purpose. Pos- 
sibly pneumatic suspension will prove a successful solution of the problem. 

These motor ambulances, under cover of darkness, come right up 
to the dressing stations and evacuate direct to the clearing sta- 
tions, which are back at corps headquarters in some suitable build- 
ing. It is due altogether to these swiftly moving ambulances that 
wounded can be forwarded to the base and finally to England. A 
man if wounded in the forenoon is out of luck, but the man wounded 
in the afternoon may reach a hospital in England before his name 
reaches his corps headquarters as among the wounded. 

9. FUEL. 

Sufficient data do not yet exist from which we can state definitely 
the various kinds of fuel employed. Among those mentioned are 
alcohol, benzol, kerosene, and gasoline. Shortage in gasoline and 
increase in the price will undoubtedly cause a search for a new fuel. 
Its arrival is certain, as there has never been a crying demand for 
any improvement without an answer from the engineers and in- 
ventors. Improved carbureters and lighter cars show, in a way, the 
line of advance of improvements. 

With the export demand, the war, and the domestic demand, there 
does not seem to be much thought of lower prices for gaoline. While 
kerosene could be used and would be cheap, it has, up to this time, 
exhibited a tendency to give off an odor when burned and it also 

519 



14 

leaves an excess of carbon in the cylinders. The low grade of gaso- 
line is a little more difficult to start on, but it supplies more heat and 
is a better fuel for general work after the motor is under way. 

Some moderately successful attempts have been made in this re- 
spect, but, although the cost has been reduced to 7 cents per mile, 
a great deal of trouble exists because of the sediment left in the 
carbureter. This may, however, be remedied by study, and we may 
have a new less expensive fuel before long. 

Thus the war has speeded up the development of the motor car, 
permanent improvements will result and, perhaps, a new fuel. 

10. DEFECTS IN CONSTRUCTION BROUGHT OUT UNDER THE 
STRAIN OF ACTIVE-SERVICE CONDITIONS. 

Lack of standardization of parts and the continual breaking of 
radiators are mentioned as being the main troubles encountered in 
handling this kind of transport. The last trouble undoubtedly 
comes from the shock due to bad roads and to continued use without 
an opportunity for repairs or rest. 

For the student who has studied carefully the development of 
this transport the most gratifying thing about remodeling the propo- 
sition of modern warfare, made possible by the arrival of the motor 
vehicle, is the fact that every accomplishment and every success, up 
to date, stands to the credit of machines neither specially designed 
nor produced for war purposes. 

WHEELS. 

The wheels giving the most satisfaction are those in which a steel 
plate replaces the spokes, and where the dual tire is of solid rubber. 
This has been tried out in several trucks and found serviceable. 

LIGHTING SYSTEM. 

The " Prestolite " system was not serviceable nor satisfactory, and 
electric lighting found much better in every way. The feature re- 
ported on as being successful in every way was the movable head- 
light. It is of great use when loading and unloading at night and 
while off the main road and parking the machines. A good electric 
headlight arranged on a universal joint and within reach of the 
driver has been spoken of as an ideal arrangement. 

BRIDGES. 

Closely connected with the use of motor transport comes the im- 
portance of good roads, and next the question of bridges and a study 
of the means to be taken to strengthen the highway bridge ordi- 

519 



15 

narily encountered in this country. Heavy ordnance, together with a 
continual stream of motor transport, will without doubt test the 
average highway bridge in many probable areas of operations. The 
development of heavy ordnance has called for the use of the motor 
in its transportation. There is plenty of information on hand to 
show that the transport of heavy ordnance, away from the railroad 
lines, has been accomplished by special motor vehicles. 

11. RESULTS OF THE WAR. 

The export of motor vehicles in the past two years has moved 
forward with a great bound. In 1915 it amounted to $100,000,000, 
while in 1914 it was $28,507,464, an increase of 250 per cent. The 
estimated value of commercial vehicles exported was $63,000,000 of 
the total. England has been the best buyer of automobiles from the 
United States. Her purchases amounted, for the fiscal year ending 
June 30, to 5,306 trucks. France and Russia also were heavy pur- 
chasers. When the war ends there must needs be an immediate re- 
adjustment of the great industries of the belligerent countries. Hence 
it is believed that there will be left in the hands of many of our 
manufacturers trucks of the latest pattern. Why should we not use 
them to form the cadres for our divisional and Army transport, and 
accustom not only the troops but a number of officers and men with 
the use, handling, and repair of motor vehicles ? 

The following quotation, taken from a foreign motor publication, 
shows that this question has already been agitated in France : 

Among the problems that are apt to come up at the close of the war in 
Europe is the means to be taken by the belligerent nations in disposing of the 
motor trucks now in use by the armies. France apparently has formed an 
answer to the question already. At an auction held recently, 740 of the Paris 
internal-gear drive omnibuses mobilized at the beginning of the war were sold, 
to be replaced by an equal number of similar chassis for work at the front. 
By selling these chassis at this time to private owners it was possible to fore- 
stall the purchase of that many chassis from neutral nations. 

Another benefit to France is that this method of selling French trucks that 
have seen service prevents the beginning of an installation of foreign chassis by 
large owners who might after the war, in the interest of standardization, con- 
tinue their purchases of trucks made outside of France. 

The foreign trucks now used by the French Army are run until they are 
useless and can not be overhauled advantageously, and are then replaced by 
French-made chassis, the latest advices from France being that the factories 
there are now in a position to care for the army's needs. 

12. CONCLUSIONS. 

The question is at once asked whether or not we have taken steps 
to use this transport and to avail ourselves of the large amount of 
suitable material existing to-day in the United States. 

519 



16 

The answer is made that this has been done as far as existing 
appropriations will allow. However, most of these vehicles are 
operating singly or in pairs, and at no one place are there sufficient 
for one company. 

IS. ORGANIZATION. 

The organization proposed for a motor-truck company conforms 
to the experience of officers abroad, but as yet no attempt has been 
made to collect the material of automobile parks or for repair shops 
and these are shown by the experience of all to be badly needed in 
field operations. 

The assignment of this transport to the divisional trains is correct 
and conforms with the practice abroad. 

There should be organized in each division a motor-truck com- 
pany, and attached thereto a repair shop. This organization will 
form a cadre as well as a place where chauffeurs and mechanicians 
can be trained. It is true we can recruit plenty of men from this 
class when war is imminent, but it is one thing to be a chauffeur and 
another to be a military chauffeur. 

Abroad this defect does not exist, but with us something should 
be done to remedy the lack of disciplined material. The experience 
of certain of the belligerents in this respect will be ours if we become 
involved in war. 

14. COLLECTION OF THIS TRANSPORT. 

Based on the type of vehicle in use in the cadre in each division, 
attempt ought to be made to arrange for a large number of vehicles 
of a similar type. The same type of vehicle, as far as possible, should 
be used within a division or even a field army if such can be accom- 
plished. 

The Federal Trade Commission could under the law obtain the 
data, in each divisional district, necessary for listing suitable trans- 
port. The Quartermaster General's Office has prepared a pro- 
visional plan for utilizing motor transport, under existing laws, and 
this plan includes a contract system which will take the place of 
the prizes and subsidies that have been found so efficacious abroad. 

All these steps are in the right direction, and we have conserved 
the underlying principle for the use of mechanical-driven transport, 
and this is that it is a transportation unit pure and simple. It picks 
up a load at one place and discharges this load upon arrival at 
destination. It is not employed in transporting mobile reserves. 
The animal-drawn vehicle transports the rolling reserve. Animal- 
drawn vehicles are still being purchased in great numbers by the 
French. A recent order has been placed for over 4,000 of these 
wagons. The French have not as yet replaced the animal-drawn 

519 



17 

transport of combat and field trains with autotrucks, nor do they 
apparently intend to do so. The corps supply, ammunition, and 
sanitary trains remain animal-drawn, except that automobile ambu- 
lance sections form part of the sanitary train, and fresh-meat auto- 
mobile sections form part of the supply train. 

The foregoing facts are striking when we consider the excellent 
roads being maintained in the theater of operations. The animal- 
drawn vehicle will undoubtedly be eventually replaced by mechan- 
ical-driven transport. However, before this can be done, even in 
Europe, many mechanical imperfections at present existing in the 
autotruck must be overcome. Our problem in this particular is 
more difficult than the European, when we consider the roads and 
bridges in our probable theater of military operations, and it is 
very possible that we will not be able to make the change until some 
time after it has been effected in Europe. Notwithstanding the fact 
that it may be some years before we can use autotrucks in our first 
and second lines of transportation, the fact remains that, in the 
event of a war, we will have need for this kind of transportation 
in great quantities behind our second-line transportation. 

519 

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